If you invest thousands of dollars into a solar panel system, you want to ensure it’s as efficient as possible. After all, one of the primary reasons you purchased solar was for the impact it would have on your energy bills. Luckily, you can take steps to maximize your solar panel’s efficiency. Keep reading to discover the 10 solar panel maintenance steps that can help you get the most out of your solar system.
10 Solar Panel Maintenance Tips to Maximize Efficiency
1. Keep Up With Regular Cleanings
You don’t just install your solar panels and never touch them again. They require regular cleanings. Over time, dirt, debris, dust, leaves, and more can collect on the panel surfaces. This layer of debris and dust reduces the amount of sunlight that reaches your panels, which lowers the panels’ efficiency and reduces the amount of electricity generated.
Experts recommend cleaning your solar panels at least two times a year or as soon as you see visible debris.
You can clean your panels with a soft bristle brush and soapy water. However, safety should be top of mind as you need to access your roof for cleaning. If climbing your roof for cleaning is too dangerous for you, consider hiring solar panel cleaners.
2. Regularly Get Rid of Excess Shade
When you installed your solar panels, you likely considered optimal placement to maximize sunlight. You probably avoided areas of your roof with excess shade. However, with time, that tree off to the side might have grown some extra branches that are starting to encroach onto your panels. If shade starts to block out your solar panels, they will stop producing as much.
Keep an eye on excess shade and address it whenever possible, such as pruning branches off trees and bushes.
3. Monitor System Performance
Your solar panel system may have come with a built-in system monitoring tool. If it didn’t, you can purchase one (and it’s certainly worth the investment). It’s important to look at these monitoring systems occasionally to see how your panels perform. This data can help you:
- Identify problems early on and address them quickly before they escalate.
- Notice decreases in energy production early on and address them immediately.
- Get suggestions to optimize your panel performance.
4. Improve Your Home’s Insulation
Your solar system will provide extra energy to keep your home warm and cool, as needed. But if your home is poorly insulated, your system has to work harder. This excess strain can cause your system to develop problems early, break down, and decrease in efficiency.
Take the time to improve your home’s insulation to get the most out of your solar panel system. Consider adding insulation to your house’s attics, walls, floors, and pipes.
5. Use Mirrors
One solar concentrator technique is solar panel reflector systems. These systems use mirrors to reflect additional sunlight onto the panels, increasing light exposure and improving panel efficiency.
Note that sometimes, this technique can work too well. If your panels get excess glare, it could possibly damage them. Always consult a solar panel professional before implementing the mirror system.
6. Install Solar Batteries
The majority of solar panel systems produce more energy than the household needs at a given moment. In some areas, you can return that excess energy to the grid for incentives. However, if you want to become more energy independent and take advantage of your panels’ power, consider investing in solar batteries. Solar batteries store excess energy and utilize it when needed—such as at night or on rainy days.
7. Purchase Advanced Solar Technologies
You can purchase additions to your solar panels that will help maximize their efficiency. Some examples of these advances in solar technologies are:
- Microinverters and Power Optimizers: These tools help each individual panel optimize its performance by decreasing or addressing shading, uneven soiling, and panel mismatch problems.
- Solar Cell Technology: Some advanced solar cell technologies, such as thin-film solar cells, are more efficient than the standard silicon PV cells found in most panels.
- Solar Trackers: Solar trackers tilt your panels so they always face the sun as the sun moves throughout the day, allowing maximum output.
8. Tier Your Appliance Usage
If you want your solar panel system to be as efficient as possible, you must take advantage of when it produces the most energy. Try to time your activities so that they use the most energy during the daytime hours when the sun is out and bright. Examples include running your laundry and dishwasher or charging your electric vehicle.
9. Optimize Your Inverter
Your solar panel inverter takes the direct current electricity the panels generate and converts it to AC electricity that your home can use. It’s a critical piece of your entire solar panel system and vital to your system’s efficiency.
Purchase a high-quality inverter and have it regularly inspected to ensure it’s working at optimal levels.
10. Use a Trusted Solar Panel Installer
Poor installation of your panels can lead to problems and decreased efficiency. A trusted solar panel installer will advise you on how many panels you need, as well as the sizing and placement. Making the right choice in an installer will ensure you have the most efficient system possible.
Between all of these tips, you should be able to have a well-functioning system that generates all the energy you expect and more for many years to come.
You might also be interested in: 7 Things to Consider Before Installing Residential Solar Panels
